Today you’re going to learn about high ferritin from hidden sources of iron and what to do about it.
My name is Dr. Tom Rofrano from the Natural Medicine Clinic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and author of the FreeDiet®. I’ve been blessed to have seen over 100,000 patient visits over the last 39 years, many involving thyroid issues—and abnormal ferritin is something I see often.
This patient was one of them.
Patient Background: High Ferritin & Multiple Chronic Symptoms
A 66-year-old woman came in with:
- Abdominal pain
- Gas and bloating
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
- Insomnia
- Joint pain
- Anxiety
- Many other symptoms
Her lab results showed:
- High ferritin
- High iron
- High iron saturation
- Below-optimal thyroid function
Functional testing revealed deeper root causes.
Root Causes Identified Through Functional Testing
- Deficiencies
She had low levels of:
- Folate
- Selenium
- Magnesium
- Other nutrients
- Toxins
She had high levels of:
- Mercury
- Arsenic
- Infections
She had:
- Bacterial overgrowth
- Yeast overgrowth
- Food Reactions
She had:
- Gluten sensitivity
- Leaky gut
- Additional food reactions
- Hormonal Imbalance
She had adrenal dysfunction.
Her Results After 3 Months
After following the FreeDiet® and targeted supplements:
- Iron and saturation dropped 54 and 50% to normal
- Ferritin normalized
- TSH improved to optimal
- Abdominal pain, gas, bloating, and diarrhea resolved
- Energy improved
- Sleep improved
- Brain fog, anxiety, and joint pain improved
- Blood pressure dropped 40 points to normal
But then something unexpected happened…
Her Ferritin Spiked Again — The Hidden Cause
Months later, her iron and saturation were sky-high again.
What changed?
She had gone up north for the summer and was drinking well water.
Testing showed the well water was very high in iron.
When she switched to filtered water only, her iron, saturation, and ferritin dropped back down.
Other Hidden Sources of Iron You May Not Know About
- Well Water
As seen in this case, unfiltered well water can contain extremely high iron levels.
- Cast Iron Cookware
This includes:
- Cast iron pans
- Cast iron grills
- Flat-top grills
Patients often see ferritin drop once they stop using cast iron cookware.
- Processed Foods (Enriched Flour)
Many people don’t realize that enriched flour has added iron.
This includes:
- Breakfast cereals
- White bread
- Baked goods
- Packaged foods
For example:
- Breakfast cereals can contain 4–18 mg of iron
- Two slices of white bread can contain almost as much iron as a 100-gram serving of beef
Meanwhile, beef only contains about 2.2 mg per serving.
So the common advice to “avoid red meat” for high ferritin is often misleading.
- Organ Meats & Organ Supplements
Liver contains 300% more iron than beef.
If you’re eating:
- Liver regularly
- Organ meats
- Organ capsules
…your iron intake can add up quickly.
- Carnivore Diet
If someone eats 2–3 lbs of beef per day, that’s 20–30 mg of iron daily, which can raise ferritin over time.
How This Patient Recovered
She followed the FreeDiet®, which I developed years ago while healing my own autoimmune Hashimoto’s thyroid and rheumatoid arthritis, IBS, fatigue, skin issues, and other chronic health problems.
The FreeDiet® is free of:
- Gluten
- Grains
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Soy
- Legumes
- Nightshades
- Processed foods
These are the foods most commonly responsible for inflammation, gut issues, thyroid dysfunction, and chronic health problems.
This is phase 1, after which certain foods are added back in to see how your respond.
If you’d like a copy of the FreeDiet® Phase 1 Food Chart, I’ll include a link below.
Supplements That Supported Her Recovery
She took the Functional Five:
- Multivitamin
- Fish oil
- Vitamin D with K
- Magnesium
- Probiotic
Additional support included:
- Gut-supportive supplements
- Curcumin
- Adrenal support
- Metal cleanse
- Methylfolate
- Selenium
- Other nutrients she was low in
Should You Donate Blood for High Ferritin?
Blood donation can be helpful if:
- Ferritin is high
- Iron saturation is high
- Hemoglobin and hematocrit are mid-to-high range
But you must monitor your blood levels to avoid becoming anemic.
The Bottom Line: High Ferritin Has Many Causes
Iron overload accounts for only a small percentage of high ferritin cases.
Hidden sources like:
- Well water
- Cast iron cookware
- Enriched flour
- Organ meats
- Excessive beef intake
…can all raise ferritin.
When you get the proper testing and are provided the right solutions, I believe almost anyone can get better.
Go here if you would like a free copy of the FreeDiet® phase 1 food chart.
